Sub Sphere: What Protects Human Deep Divers?

When James Cameron dives to the lowest point of the Pacific's Mariana Trench, 36,000 feet of water pressure is bearing down on his sub, which feels like 13 cars weighing on each of his shoulders! But he's protected by sitting inside a 2 1/2 inch thick steel ball.

Sub Sphere: What Protects Human Deep Divers?

When James Cameron dives to the lowest point of the Pacific's Mariana Trench, 36,000 feet of water pressure is bearing down on his sub, which feels like 13 cars weighing on each of his shoulders! But he's protected by sitting inside a 2 1/2 inch thick steel ball.

If you want to venture to the bottom of the world - 36,000 feet beneath the sea - you don’t have a lot of options.

You need the perfect shape - made of strong, heavy material.

A steel sphere.

This epic dive has been done only once before – by the “Trieste” expedition in 1960.

Then and now, this simple structure is the only way to go for getting human beings to the bottom.

James Cameron

“We’re contained by the amount of pressure, to a very small sphere. In order to just have the vehicle light enough that we can get it back on the ship.”

On the Trieste trip, that meant two men had to cram into a space the size of a phone booth.

Cameron’s journey won’t be any more comfortable…

James Cameron

“So this is the steel sphere here – this is where the pilot goes”

The space is tiny… Cameron will barely be able to move for over 9 hours as he pilots the craft to the bottom and back. He actually took up yoga to help get more limber.

A sphere is still the safest place to be at the bottom of the ocean. The design hasn’t changed much since 1960.

The technology of the craft that gets it down there is a very different story.

The “Trieste” voyage was groundbreaking – but the craft was limited. It took so long to get down, the crew could only stay on the bottom for about 20 minutes.

Cameron’s sub is state of the art. Its vertical orientation allows for a much faster descent. He’ll be able to explore the bottom for over 6 hours – filming and collecting samples of this unknown environment like never before.

Sub Sphere: What Protects Human Deep Divers?

When James Cameron dives to the lowest point of the Pacific's Mariana Trench, 36,000 feet of water pressure is bearing down on his sub, which feels like 13 cars weighing on each of his shoulders! But he's protected by sitting inside a 2 1/2 inch thick steel ball.